A new era is emerging for Student Visas in Australia with the release of the Knight Report. Michael Knight conducted a review of Visa requirements for Students in Australia, and all 41 of his recommendations have been accepted and will be implement during the next year. New students, genuinely wanting to study in Australia will have a much easier time obtaining a student visa. Also it will be less expensive to obtain a Student Visa to study in Australia. But the most attractive change expected will be the new two year work rights.

Recommendations include:-

• Applicants for student visas in future will have to demonstrate they are a temporary entrant, as well as being a genuine student. Engage a Registered Migration Agent for professional visa advice and knowing how to address criteria such as this;
• Many University Students will now be treated as AL1 (the lowest assessment level) irrspective of which country they come from. This easier entry criteria will not be universally available, particularly for short and vocational courses. University students are being favoured;
• Most Bachelor and Master Degree students who spend at least two years at their courses will now be able to obtain TWO YEAR work rights, which of course can often result in a permanent visa through skilled migration pathways and employment;
• There is a simplified process to obtain TWO YEAR work rights after finishing most university courses;
• The thresholds for English are being modified;
• Students completing a semester or year long Australian University component as an exchange student from their home University will be granted streamlined processing;
• Student Work hours will to be measured as 40 hours per fortnight, rather than 20 hours per week.

In summary, although the integrity of Visa requirements to Australia is being maintained or even strengthened in some cases (e.g. sham marrigages), overall, the Student Visa systems are destined to become much more "student friendly" for genuine university students in the near future.

Please keep in mind that these are recommendations only, and although an announcment has been made accepting these recommendations, they are not yet law or policy. Although they should be soon. Your Registered Migration Agent can tell you when these changes are brought in and precisely what form the changes take, how to interpret the new rules and how to prepare a valid and potentially successful student visa application. Full details of the Knight Report and recommendations are available at http://www.immi.gov.au/students/_pdf/2011-knight-review.pdf